Christmas is here again

Only yesterday I have realized that Chrismas is round the corner. I am not a big fan of holiday fever, I hate the traffic and the crowds and the spending and the hype only to get the downturn of when that is over and receive the credit card bill. I love the lights though. All cities look better and neighborhoods look happier.
Yet, the same problems that haunted each family exist hidden under those lights- sometimes magnified. But we put our best dress and smile on and pretend to forget them. For a short while
I also like playing cards this time of the year. The problem is since I don't play any other time during the year, I usually lose as I am out of practice haha, but still it is fun
What really saddens me around holidays, especially Xmas and New Year that everybody gets high on festivities - especially when kids are involved - is the contrast between those who can celebrate and those who are much less fortunate. I can not really celebrate when I am thinking of all those orphan children or abandoned old people in greek institutions, or those who have lost the loved ones in war.
It is really impossible for me to celebrate and I end up being gloomier than any other time of the year.
My favorite christmas song describes how I feel

Bazaar 2009

This year the annual bazaar for our SOS ADESPOTA VRILISSION (SOS Vrilissia strays) organization was held last weekend. Not as successful as previous ones as the weather was quite cold, people have less money and everyone is throwing a bazaar...

Like every year I brought my pets, three this time with Aristos, but was not able to go inside as dogs were not allowed - a senior member of the town hall would not let us. They made us pay for the space but would not allow the dogs in. In a bazaar of a humane society for dogs!!!

Anyways, because I am against any discrimination especially that targeted to animals or weak parties, I only entered the bazaar space very briefly and was sitting outside with my babies and chatting to other people coming with or without their pets.

I did enjoy myself but the cold would not allow me to stay for a long time

My dogs were very well behaved and everyone was playing with them

Aristos

A couple of months ago, I got a call in the middle of the night by Anna, a friend of mine asking me if I could go up to Pendeli and rescue from the rain and cold a little dog who was thrown out of a car in the darkness and cold.
I went up there and found this white fluffy all dirty fella who despite his fear waived his tail and me and gave me a lovely dog smile (you know when they are relaxed and breath freely with tongue out; it looks as if they smile)
In the beginning I felt overwhelmed for the third dog that entered my house. Two months later, I can not stop feeling devastated that I found such a good home for him that I have to let him go. His new dad is a network engineer but also a sailor and Aristos will be taking sailing trips along with Goofy the other dog of the new family
Aristos, I named him after Aristotle, had a haircut and did not feel shy like other dogs do, his hairdresser was in love with him, his vet was in love with him, Zizou and Klelia are in love with him, I am in love with him, even Patty and Junior get along with him.
Everybody who sees him tells me that I can not give this dog away, I am eaten away by guilt and by the fact that I feel that I am giving away a family member, but I am convinced that at the end it will be better for the dog. I am away too long, I have now with Aristos five pets and I am afraid that I am start not doing such a great job to each individual one. I think more focused attention is better.
Still, I have the new owner swear to me that he will bringing him on Sundays to the park near my house so that all the kids can play and whenever he goes away and he needs someone to look after him, that he will bring him over.
I have dealt with a lot of dogs over the last five years. None will ever reach the personality quality of Zizou but noone has ever reached that close like Aristos.
Not to mention that he is one of the prettiest dogs I have ever seen.
It will be very hard for me to let him go but I hope that it will turn out to be to the benefit of the dog

Woody works

Last night, I went to see Woody's new comedy. I have not missed a Woody movie, and some I have seen like 20 times (definitely Annie Hall is one of those movies).
I must say, that I have probably enjoyed this movie more than any other of Woody movies because I could not stop laughing. Also, when I first watched Annie Hall and Manhattan, I was much younger and could not really get all strength of the punchlines the first time round.
Whatever rocks is amazing. I dont want to spill the beans and destroy it for you by narrating the plot, but I must say, that Woody is back!!! Finally- After the last few years of mediocracy compared to his unbelievable genius (with the exception of the role of Maria Tereza that Penelope Cruz gave us last year) hungry Woody's fans got something that was worth waiting.
The movie is filmed again in New York - where they should have a statue of the guy somewhere in a prominent place - the characters are split into categories.
Of course he touches upon his favorite subject - religion and ridicules it, only this time the victim is Catholicism and not Judaism. He also of course explores the power and hypocricies of relationships and how they can turn someone's life around, for the better or the worse and eventually it will set them free. His genius rests not only in punchlines, an unbelievable script and a sarcastic search for the ultimate truth, but also for the contrasts he represents between and within the protagonists. Before and after they let go and accept that life is all about finding whatever works to make us happy after we got rid of all the societal must and should and would and take it as it comes. I adored the scene with the 5th symphony when the mother of Melody enters the room. I think that's when my first tears came out haha
I have to tell you that there were times that I had tears in my eyes from the laughter and the whole theater was shaking.
I will definitely see this one another 19 times. At least

Time and purpose

Time, or rather the lack of, is probably the most common denominator in any large urban center. Especially in western cultures, although I am sure pedestrians in Tokyo walk as fast as newyorkers.
Time as a concept is cruel. It ages us, it gives us stress, it is found in the roots of most evil dids. That very stress though, caused mainly by the lack of time, it is one of the most necessary evil components of self-worth. Idleness and lazyness is fantastic for the annual two-week holiday, but on a daily basis is probably the most certain path to depression.
It is our busy schedule, our lack of time, the need to have more than 24 hours in a day, that actually gives us worth. Slightly more important than what we actually accomplish. By being busy and thus feeling important we find purpose in life. Whatever the outcome
Think about that for a sec and tell me if I am wrong

November is here

Actually mid-november, a month or so since my later posting. In the meantime, we had elections, we had a historic win of PASOK, the first positive signs of the new government, my brother's sudden surgery, the opening of Fastrack, the rushing of my aunt at the hospital and her near-death experiences, the saving of Aristo the Griffon, and many other things that I will slowly comment on, given time constraints
In the meantime, enjoy one of my all time favorite songs that I heard again recently and once more made me bow to the genius of the man who created it.

Morrissey - Meat is Murder

live in NY 2000. Sent by Manos



Meat Is Murder lyrics

Heifer whines could be human cries
Closer comes the screaming knife
This beautiful creature must die
This beautiful creature must die
A death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER
And the flesh you so fancifully fry
Is not succulent, tasty or kind
It's death for no reason
And death for no reason is MURDER
And the calf that you carve with a smile
Is MURDER
And the turkey you festively slice
Is MURDER
Do you know how animals die ?
Kitchen aromas aren't very homely
It's not "comforting", cheery or kind
It's sizzling blood and the unholy stench
Of MURDER
It's not "natural", "normal" or kind
The flesh you so fancifully fry
The meat in your mouth
As you savour the flavour
Of MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
NO, NO, NO, IT'S MURDER
Oh ... and who hears when animals cry?

France Telecom Drama

It could be a film noir movie, but it is true. 24 suicides in france telecom due to organizational stress in a few months. In 100K employees, the percentage is not much higher than the rest of the country, it is however, scandalous to think that it comes for the same reason and in a short time and due to the new status, that of a private company
Of course the unions and the socialist party went bazurk, rightfully so, and ask for the PDG's head (ceo in french)

It made me think of the stress that many people go under in organizational settings, no less the company that I used to work for a few months after leaving cisco and before engaging in starting my own venture. At the very end it all comes down to really bad top management, lack of consideration of individual rights, self centrism, and total inexistence of motivational leadership.
I can not believe that the FT top management was that much worse than many others, but I do think that the French employees had a shock as I had never before seen elsewhere a two-hour break, a short work week and so many priviledges. However, the change must have been great for those people who left their lives leaving notes behind to their loved ones that they could not have taken it any more

And I who thought I was a tender foot...

I feel for those people and their families, and I join their cry to get the PDG head on a platter

Greek elections 2009

Never before have I been more bored or uninterested during election time. The good thing is that they have decided, the parties that is, to keep the campaigning on TV mainly and off the streets (thank you LORD!)
The bad thing is that what they say is mainly lies and sci-fi picture scenarios.
No wonder there is a huge percentage of abstinence and my guess is that we will experience a new era in Greek politics. I hope so. Any change will be for the better than the parody we live now.
Let's see..

Meet your meat